Runs while on vacation

Posting a couple of travel pictures on here the other night got me thinking about places I have gone running while on vacation.

One of my favourite places to run while on vacation is Vancouver where there are many scenic spots to run with the mountains and the Pacific Ocean constantly in the background. One such place is the Seawall in Stanley Park.

If you are ever in Vancouver I would recommend the loop along the Seawall in Stanley Park. You won’t find many better places for a run in an urban setting. Just don’t make the mistake I did of forgetting socks. Blistered feet from running barefoot and swimming in the Pacific Ocean following the run are not a good combination!

On my last trip to Vancouver, about a week before last year’s Ottawa Marathon, I discovered a new spot for running in Vancouver. The trails along the dykes in Richmond that were built to protect the low lying areas from flooding. If you are looking for a flat area to go for a fast run this is it!

The other place where I took time to run while on vacation was during a trip to the Kennebunks in Maine two years ago. Goose Rocks Beach turned out to be a great spot for my last two training runs before running the Boilermaker on the way home through Upstate New York.

Edit: I realized after making this post that I forgot to add one of the locations I wanted to discuss, Central Park in New York. My wife and I travelled to New York almost three years ago now and we made a point of bringing running gear so we could head for a run in Central Park.If you are a runner and travel to New York a run in Central Park is a must.

Do you bring your running shoes with you on vacation? Where have some of your favourite runs while on vacation been?